Brake means for an air-powered sprinkler system

ABSTRACT

A brake for a fluid-powered sprinkler system is provided for preventing the drive towers from rolling down inclines and for preventing the wind from rolling the drive towers. The fluid power may either be compressed air or water under pressure. An overhead water supply pipe extends outwardly from the center pivot point and is supported by a plurality of spaced-apart wheeled drive towers. In the preferred embodiment, an air-powered drive is provided on each of the towers to propel the towers and water supply pipe around the center pivot point. A control is provided on each of the towers for selectively operating the drive associated therewith to maintain the pipe and towers in an aligned condition as the water supply pipe is pivoted around the central pivot point. The control comprises a rotary cam plate having an alignment rod secured thereto which extends to the gimbal ring on a flexible joint positioned on the water supply pipe adjacent the tower. The rotary cam plate controls the operation of a first fluid-powered cylinder which is pivotally connected to a trojan bar mounted on the drive tower for reciprocating movement. The trojan bar is provided with downwardly extending dogs on its opposite ends which engage the drive wheels to rotate the same on actuation of the first fluid-powered cylinder. A brake member is rotatably mounted on at least one of the towers adjacent one of the drive wheels and is in operative engagement with the drive lugs extending from the drive wheels so that the brake member will be rotated by the drive lugs as the wheel is rotated. A second fluid-powered cylinder is mounted on the tower and has a cylinder rod extending therefrom which is connected to the brake member so that rotation of the brake member causes the cylinder rod to extend from the cylinder and to retract into the cylinder. The second cylinder normally prevents rotation of the brake member thereby preventing rotation of the wheel. A brake release apparatus is operatively connected to the second cylinder and to a lug actuated valve switch on the trojan bar to permit the cylinder rod to freely extend and retract when the valve switch is in engagement with one of the drive lugs when the trojan bar moves in one direction. If the tower moves faster than intended during the drive stroke, the second cylinder prevents rotation of the brake thereof. The second cylinder also prevents rotation of the brake member during the return stroke of the trojan bar.

This is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 540,114 filedJan. 10, 1975 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,768.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a fluid-powered sprinkler system and moreparticularly to a brake means for a fluid-powered sprinkler system ofthe water or air-powered type.

Air-powered sprinkler systems such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.3,606,161 are employed to irrigate large areas of land around a centerpivot. A plurality of drive towers are provided along the length of theoverhead water supply pipe to propel the supply pipe around the centerpivot.

In an air-powered sprinkler system such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 3,606,161, and the system disclosed in the patent application filedJan. 10, 1975, Ser. No. 540,112 entitled AN AIR-POWERED SPRINKLERSYSTEM, a problem arises in that the towers tend to roll down steepinclines thereby becoming out of alignment with the other towers.Frequently, wind will also undesirably move the water supply pipe anddrive towers due to the force of the wind acting thereagainst.

A brake means was disclosed in the co-pending application which truelyrepresented a distinct improvement in the art. The brake means of thisinvention represents an improvement over the invention of the co-pendingapplication.

Therefore, it is a principle object of the invention to provide a brakemeans for a fluid-powered sprinkler system.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a brake means foran air-powered sprinkler system which prevents the drive towers fromrolling down inclines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brake means for anair-powered sprinkler system which prevents the associated drive towerfrom moving unless the drive cylinder is moving through its drivestroke.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brake means for anair-powered sprinkler system which may be employed on the intermediatedrive towers or on the lead drive tower of the sprinkler system.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a brake means foran air-powered sprinkler system which is economical to manufacture,durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial side view of the sprinkler system having the brakemeans of this invention mounted thereon:

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of one of the towers of the system as seenon lines 2--2 of FIG. 1:

FIG. 3 is a partial side view illustrating the brake means of thisinvention:

FIG. 4 is a side view of the actuation valve associated with the brakemeans; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the circuitry of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the brake means as seen on lines 6--6 of FIG.3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The numeral 10 refers generally to an air-powered sprinkler system suchas generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,161 which issued Sept. 20,1971 and the air-powered sprinkler system disclosed in the patentapplication filed Jan. 10, 1975, Ser. No. 540,112 entitled ANAIR-POWERED SPRINKLER SYSTEM now U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,942. Reliance onU.S. Pat. No. 3,606,161 and Ser. No. 540,112 is made herewith tocomplete this disclosure if necessary.

Sprinkling apparatus 10 generally includes a water supply pipe 12extending outwardly from a center pivot point 14 which is incommunication with a source of water under pressure. The pipe 12 iscomprised of a plurality of tubular sections suitably connected togetherin an end-to-end relationship and supported by a plurality ofintermediate towers 16 and a lead tower 18. The brake means disclosedherein is designed to be mounted on the lead tower 18 and thoseintermediate towers 16 which require the same. In some installations, itwill not be necessary to provide a brake means on all of theintermediate towers 16.

Each of the towers 16 generally comprises a horizontally disposed framemember 20 having drive wheels 22 and 24 rotatably mounted at theopposite ends thereof as illustrated in the drawings. Wheels 22 and 24are provided with a plurality of driving lugs 26 and 28 mounted on theperiphery thereof respectively and which extend laterally therefrom.

Frame members 30 and 32 are secured at their lower ends to frame member20 and extend upwardly therefrom in a converging relationship. Likewise,frame members 34 and 36 are secured to frame member 20 and extendupwardly therefrom in a converging relationship. The upper ends of framemembers 30, 32, 34 and 36 are operatively connected to the water supplypipe for supporting the same in conventional fashion.

For purposes of description, the numeral 38 refers to a flexible jointprovided on the water supply pipe 12 adjacent the tower for permittingangular movement between the tubular sections about horizontal andvertical axes. Joint 38 generally comprises a gimbal ring 40 which ispivotally connected to spaced-apart arms operatively connected to theends of the adjacent tubular members. An alignment arm 42 is rigidlysecured to the gimbal ring 40 and extends horizontally outwardlytherefrom. One end of an alignment rod 44 is connected to the outer endof alignment arm 42 and is connected at its other end to an arm 46extending from a rotary alignment cam 48 provided on the drive tower.Spring 50 normally urges the alignment cam 48 in a counter-clockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 6 and resists the clockwise rotation of thealignment cam 48. Alignment cam 48 is provided with a cam surface 52formed in the periphery thereof having a shoulder 54 at one end thereof.The numeral 56 refers to a normally closed alignment valve having aplunger 58 extending therefrom which is adapted to be engaged by theshoulder 54 to open the alignment valve 56 upon the alignment cam 48being sufficiently rotated. The numeral 60 refers to a safety valvewhich is exhaustable to the atmosphere and which has a plunger 62extending therefrom as illustrated in FIG. 6. The outer end of theplunger 62 is provided with a roller 63 rotatably mounted thereon andwhich is normally received by the notch 64 formed in the periphery ofalignment cam 48 and defined by shoulders 66 and 68. Safety valve 60 isnormally closed but is opened to the atmosphere upon the plunger 62being moved inwardly into the valve 60 by shoulders 66 or 68.

The numeral 70 refers to a power source as an electric motor or gasolineengine which is connected to an air-compressor 72 which supplies airunder pressure to a surge tank 74. A high-low pressure switch 76 ofconventional design is connected to the surge tank 74 and is adapted todeactivate the power source 70 if the pressure should objectionably dropwithin surge tank 74 or if the pressure should objectionably rise insurge tank 74. Surge tank 74 is operatively connected to a coolingapparatus 78 by line 80. The compressed air is furnished from thecooling apparatus 78 to a filter 82 through a line 84. Air line 86extends from the filter 82 and would extend to the drive towers alongthe length of the sprinkling system. At each of the intermediate towers,a line 88 extends from the line 86 to a lubricator 90 mounted on thedrive tower. Lubricator 90 has an air line 92 extending therefrom whichis connected to the inlet side of alignment valve 56 as illustrated inFIG. 6. Line 94 connects the inlet end of safety valve 60 with the line62 as also illustrated in FIG. 6. The numeral 96 refers to a four-wayvalve which is connected to line 92 by line 93. As stated, valve 96 is afour-way valve and is mounted on the drive tower so that its plungers102 and 104 will be engaged by the brackets 106 and 108 mounted on thetrojan bars 110 and 112 respectively. The inner ends of trojan bars 110and 112 are pivotally connected to the lower end of a plate 114 which ispivotally mounted on the frame means and which has an arm 116 extendingtherefrom as illustrated in FIG. 2. The base end of an air cylinder 118is pivotally connected to the outer end of arm 116 and extendsdownwardly therefrom towards frame member 20. The outer end of rod 120is pivotally connected to the frame member 20 by any convenient means.Thus, actuation of the air cylinder 118 causes the plate 114 to pivotabout 124 so that the trojan bars 110 and 112 are reciprocatedlongitudinally. Dogs 126 and 128 extend downwardly from the outer endsof trojan bars 110 and 112 respectively and are adapted to engage thelugs 26 and 28 respectively on the wheels 24 to cause wheels 22 and 24to be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2 asthe rod 126 is extended from the cylinder 118. The extension of the rod120 from the cylinder 118 may be termed the drive stroke while theretraction of the rod 120 into the cylinder 118 may be referred to asthe return stroke. During the return stroke, the dogs 126 and 128 simplypass over the lugs 26 and 28. The numeral 130 refers to a pivotal armmeans which is adapted to engage the lugs 28 on the wheel 24 to preventthe wheel 24 from rotating in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2during the return stroke of the cylinder 118. Thus, without some form ofbrake means, the drive tower would be free to move to the left as viewedin FIG. 2 if the drive tower was traveling down an incline or ifsufficient wind force was being exerted on the tower from the right handside of FIG. 2.

The brake means of this invention is referred to generally by thereference numeral 132 and generally comprises a brake member 134 whichis rotatably mounted about a horizontal axis to the frame member 20 bybrackets 136 and 138. Shaft 140 is connected to brake member 134 forrotation therewith and extends laterally therefrom as seen in thedrawings. A plurality of spaced-apart fingers 142 extend radially fromthe periphery of brake member 134 and are adapted to be engaged orengage the lugs 28 on wheel 24. Crank 144 is connected to the other endof shaft 140 as seen in the drawings.

The numeral 148 refers to a fluid cylinder (air, water or hydraulicfluid) which is pivotally connected at its base end 150 to the framemember 20 by bracket 152. Cylinder rod 154 extends from the cylinder 148and is pivotally connected to the crank 144 at 156. Fluid lines 158 and160 communicate with the interior of the cylinder 148 at the oppositeends thereof and are connected to a pilot-operated check valve 162.Check valve 162 has an air-line 164 extending therefrom as will bedescribed in more detail hereinafter. Check valve 162 is normally closedand would prevent fluid flowing therethrough so that the cylinder rod154 could not extend or retract. With check valve 162 open, fluid canflow therethrough which permits the fluid on the opposite sides of thepiston within the cylinder to flow freely therethrough to enable the rod154 to be freely extended or retracted. Line 164 is connected to athree-way valve 166. Valve 166 is connected to line 168 which isconnected to line 93. Line 170 extends to a pilot operated valve 172.Valve 166 has a plunger 174 extending therefrom which is adapted to beengaged by the actuator arm 176 which is pivotally mounted on the trojanbar 112 so that it pivots about a horizontal axis referred to generallyby the reference numeral 178. Valve 166 is normally closed but isadapted to be opened upon the lower end of the actuator arm 176 engagingthe driving lug 28 on the drive wheel 24 as the trojan bar 112 is movingin its drive stroke as will be discussed in more detail hereinafter. Asseen in FIG. 6, valve 96 is connected to the valve 172 by lines 180 and182. Valve 172 is connected to the opposite ends of the air cylinder 118by lines 184 and 186.

As previously stated, the brake means 132 illustrated in the drawingsmay be used on the lead tower 18 or on the intermediate towers 16. Ifthe brake means 132 is being used on the lead tower 18, the flexiblejoint 38 and the alignment cam 48 and the structure associated therewithis not employed. The line 92 will simply supply system pressure to thevalve 96 and the valve 166 without going through the valve 56. If thebrake means 132 is being used on the lead tower 18, the valve 56 wouldnormally be replaced by a sequence valve to prevent flow of air to thecylinder 118 until such time as the system pressure has built up to alevel sufficient to power the drive units on all of the towers.

Assuming that the brake means is employed on intermediate towers, themethod of operation is as follows. Power unit 70 powers the aircompressor 72 which supplies compressed air to the surge tank 74 whichin turn supplies the air to line 86 through the cooling apparatus andfilter. Line 86 supplies air under pressure to the drive units on all ofthe towers.

Alignment valve 56 is normally closed but is opened by the alignment cam48 as soon as the tower becomes out of alignment with the adjacenttower. Alignment cam 48 is opened by the alignment arm 42 causing thealignment arm 44 to rotate cam 48 in a clockwise direction as viewed inFIG. 6. When valve 56 opens, air under pressure is supplied to the valve96 and to the valve 172. With the alignment valve 56 opened, systempressure flows to the four-way valve 96 which is situated within thedrive unit so as to be controlled by the two brackets 106 and 108 whichare mounted on the trojan bars 110 and 112 respectively in such a waythat when cylinder 118 reaches its fully extended position, the plunger104 will be engaged by the bracket 108 so that the valve 96 will beshifted which in turn allows the system pressure to shift the four-wayvalve 172 causing the cylinder 118 to return to the retracted positionat which time the opposite bracket 106 engages the plunger 102 whichcauses the four-way valve 172 to its original position, therebypressurizing the cylinder 118 causing the cylinder rod 120 to beextended at which time the bracket 108 again shifts the four-way valve96 and a new cycle is commenced.

As previously stated, alignment valve 56 is normally closed but would beopened upon the tower moving out of alignment with the next adjacenttower so that the system pressure is supplied to the valve 96. Prior tovalve 166 opening to permit system pressure to be supplied to the checkvalve 162, the cylinder rod 154 cannot extend or retract due to thefluid within the cylinder being present on opposite sides of the pistonthereby preventing the crank 144 from rotating. Inasmuch as crank 144cannot rotate, the fingers 142 of the brake member 134 are in the pathof the lugs 28 and will engage the same to prevent the rotation of thewheel and thus to prevent the tower from moving. As soon as systempressure is supplied to the valve 162 by the opening of the valve 166,the check valve 162 opens thereby allowing the fluid from opposite endsof the cylinder 148 to flow therethrough so that the rod 154 can freelyextend or retract. The actuator arm 176 is mounted on the plate 175(secured to the trojan bar 112) in such a way that when the trojan bardog presses against the lug 28 to drive the system forward, the actuatorarm 176 is also engaged by the lug 28 to cause the actuator arm 176 tobe rotated about axis 178 in such a manner to cause the three-way valve166 to be open. Any time that the trojan bar dog 128 is not pressingagainst the wheel lug 28, such as when the drive unit would start toroll ahead or the cylinder 118 is on a return stroke, the three-wayvalve 166 returns to its normally closed position. When the three-wayvalve 166 closes, it exhausts the pressure from the pilot operator ofthe check valve 162 thereby allowing the check valve to return to itsnormally closed position and stopping the flow of fluid between lines158 and 160. Whenever the flow of fluid is stopped through the lines 158and 160, the movement of the cylinder rod 154 is stopped which in turnstops the rotation of the crank 144 and brake member 134 which throughits engagement with the lugs 28 stops the rotation of the wheel 24.

If system pressure is lost, such as when the safety valve 60 shuts thesystem down due to misalignment or when the system is shut down by theoperator, the brake member 134 engages the lugs 28 to prevent the systemfrom rolling down a steep grade or being rolled ahead by the wind.

While the immediately foregoing description has described the system tobe air-powered and that the cylinder 148 is of the fluid type, it shouldbe understood that the system could be driven and operated by air, wateror hydraulic fluid. Thus, it can be seen that a novel brake means hasbeen described for use on lead and intermediate towers of a sprinklersystem. The brake means of this invention prevents the system fromrolling down a steep incline or from being rolled ahead by the wind toprevent damage to the system. Thus, it can be seen that the inventionaccomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

I claim:
 1. A self-propelled sprinkling apparatus comprising,a watersupply pipe moveable about a central pivot point, a plurality ofspaced-apart, wheeled drive towers supporting said supply pipe above thearea to be sprinkled, a fluid-operated drive means on each of saidtowers to propel said towers and said supply pipe about said centralpivot point, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said drivemeans, control means on said towers for controlling the operation ofsaid drive means so that said towers will be selectively driven tomaintain said supply pipe in an aligned condition as said pipe is movedabout said central pivot point, each of said drive towers comprising atleast a pair of wheels, at least one of said wheels having spaced-apartdrive lugs provided thereon, a brake member rotatably mounted on atleast one of said towers adjacent the said one wheel, said brake memberhaving means thereon which is in operative engagement with said drivelugs so that said brake member will be rotated by said drive lugs onsaid one wheel when said one wheel is rotating, a fluid cylinder mountedon said one tower and having a cylinder rod extending therefrom which isoperatively connected to said brake member so that rotation of saidbrake member causes said cylinder rod to extend and retract relative tosaid fluid cylinder, said fluid cylinder normally preventing therotation of said brake member thereby preventing the rotation of saidone wheel, and brake release means operatively connected to said fluidcylinder to permit said cylinder rod to freely extend and retract whensaid drive means is driving said one wheel at a predetermined rate ofrotation.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tower comprises aframe means having the said pair of wheels mounted thereon, a trojan barmeans reciprocatably mounted on said frame means and moveable betweenfirst and second positions for engagement with the said drive lugs fordriving said wheel when said torjan bar means moves in at least onedirection, said trojan bar means including an actuator means whichnormally engages one of said lugs when said trojan bar moves in said onedirection, said drive means including means operatively connected tosaid trojan bar means for reciprocating said trojan bar means, saidbrake release means permitting said cylinder rod to freely extend andretract when said actuator means is in engagement with one of said lugswhen said trojan bar means moves in said one direction.
 3. The apparatusof claim 2 wherein a fluid conduit connects the opposite interior endsof said fluid cylinder, and a normally closed check valve means in saidfluid conduit whereby preventing extension or retraction of saidcylinder rod and preventing rotation of said brake member and said onewheel.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said check valve means isoperatively connected to said control means whereby said check valvemeans will be opened and closed in response to the operation of saidactuator means.